Moment
by slef
Summary: The SG1 team meets a Jedi Knight ...


Warning: This is a crossover between Stargate SG1 and Star Wars: Episode I, The Phantom Menace. If you haven't seen either, don't bother reading this. The story contains spoilers for Star Wars I and knowledge of SG1 is essential. 

Rating: G 

Moment 

For Liam 

As he waited, composed, for the force barrier to move away, Jedi Master Qui-Gon Jinn was conscious of the tiger-like pacing of the Sith on the other side, as well as the barely controlled frustration of his apprentice, Obi-Wan Kenobi, trapped further back in the corridor. 

The force barrier opened and Qui-Gon was on his feet and fighting the Sith once more. Every movement he made flowed from the Force, but the Sith was well trained and slowly started to beat Qui-Gon back. And then there was a moment of utter shock, as Qui-Gon watched the satisfaction of the Sith with disbelieving eyes, and slowly collapsed onto the walkway. 

He knew immediately that he was dying and willed himself to hold on long enough to speak to Obi-Wan. He listened almost detachedly to his apprentice fighting the Sith, while he studied what he was experiencing. 

It was as if he'd finally managed to connect entirely with the Force, as if he was becoming one with it for the very first time. He felt incredible speed and knew that he couldn't hold on much longer before it ripped him away on currents he could only imagine. 

Then Obi-Wan was at his side. 

"Master! Master!" 

Concentrating, he forced himself to slow down enough to speak. "It's too late...It's..." 

"No!" 

"Obi-Wan... Promise... Promise me you will train the boy..." 

"Yes, Master!" 

With almost superhuman effort he lifted his hand and touched a tear on Obi-Wan's face. His vision was becoming blurred. He took a breath and spoke again. 

"He is the chosen one...he will...bring balance...train him!" 

Then he couldn't hold there any longer and let himself be swept away into darkness. 

* * * 

Somewhere above him a bird was singing. Qui-Gon felt that was surprising in some way. Still in darkness, he reached out through the Force to get some idea of what was happening. 

Although wherever he was teemed with life, none was interested in him. After a while he became aware of his body, which seemed to be lying on some rough surface. It was quickly becoming very uncomfortable so Qui-Gon opened his eyes. 

Blue sky was visible through leaves and branches. Turning his head allowed his gaze to follow the line of a tree down to the ground, over some grass and to the base of the stone structure he lay upon. 

Qui-Gon pondered. This was unexpected, but his Jedi training allowed him to quickly adapt to new situations. He would not have expected to be able to feel anything, but the stone pressing in his back seemed to refute that. Ah well, in time he would understand, but now... 

Qui-Gon sat up and looked himself over. He was dressed in his customary Jedi robe, trousers, calf-hugging leather boots, and his lightsaber hung at his side. That was strange, too. He'd dropped it when the Sith had struck him down. There was no way that it could be here but then there was no way that he could be, either. 

Moving about established that he was uninjured and that, in fact, he felt fitter than in years. 

//Dying seems to agree with me,// he thought wryly. //I wonder where I am.// 

A Jedi's connection with the Force enables him to always know where, in relation to other things, he is in the universe. The answer Qui-Gon got shocked him to the core. Not only was he far away from where he was accustomed, it also felt as if the Force itself was ... older ... vastly older. The only explanation he could think of was that he had somehow traveled to a galaxy far, far away, and into the future too, just to make it interesting. 

//This is a strange moment,// he reflected as he started to explore his surroundings. 

He was standing in an open glade in a forest that seemed to stretch a fair way in all directions. In the glade was a strange structure, a huge engraved ring standing mounted in the stone on which he'd woken up. A few paces away was a stone pedestal. Qui-Gon walked over to investigate. 

The pedestal's top looked like a primitive console, engraved with strange glyphs around a dull red jewel mounted in the center. Qui-Gon was just about to touch it when something astounding happened. 

With a sound not unlike thunder, the air inside the large ring gained substance, pulsed towards him like something shooting with great force into water, and snapped back to form a shimmering pool filling the ring. 

Qui-Gon watched in wonder, but realized this could be dangerous, and took cover behind the pedestal. Sudden movement caught his eye. 

A small, wheeled machine rolled out of the shimmering wall and down the stone base. It looked like a small freight droid to Qui-Gon. Shortly after, four figures stepped through and looked around. The shimmering wall behind them vanished. 

Qui-Gon sensed no hostility and decided that cover seemed unnecessary. He rose and walked towards them, hands held palm outward to show them he meant no harm. 

* * * Carter saw him first. Without taking her eyes from him, she touched O'Neal on the arm. 

"Colonel." O'Neal, Daniel and Teal'c turned at her voice and looked over to the dial home device where the man stood. 

"Damn! He's tall," Carter murmured. In fact, he looked taller than Teal'c, and powerfully built. He had long graying hair, pulled away from his face in a ponytail, and a short, neatly trimmed beard. 

"So?" O'Neal asked, and looked over at Daniel. "Are you going to greet him?" 

"What? Oh... yes, of course!" Flustered as usual, Daniel stepped up to the man. When he was closer, he had to crane his neck a bit to look the man in his eyes. 

"Um... hello," he began, looking for some sign that he was understood. The tall man nodded slightly and the friendly eyes seemed to encourage Daniel to continue. 

"I'm Daniel Jackson ... that's Captain Carter... Colonel O'Neal and Teal'c..." 

* * * 

As the strange young man said the names, Qui-Gon reached out through the Force to learn about each. 

Daniel was sincere, honest, sensitive and steadfast. 

Carter was determined, loyal and passionate. 

O'Neal was a warrior, brave, stubborn, and hiding a pain deep inside. 

Teal'c was ... two ... different, but also loyal, brave. 

Qui-Gon could sense their curiosity and interest. He smiled. 

"I am Qui-Gon Jinn." 

"Pleased to meet you," Daniel said. "Is your... village... nearby?" 

The question told Qui-Gon that these people were strangers here, too. 

"Well, no," he began. "I have only recently arrived here myself..." 

O'Neal strode forward. 

"Wait a minute. You came through the Stargate? From where?" 

"Stargate? Is that what it is?" Qui-Gon asked. 

Daniel nodded. 

"I don't think I came through it," Qui-Gon continued. "I just woke up here." 

"What do you mean, 'woke up'," O'Neal demanded. 

"It's a long story and I don't know all the answers yet, but I think I'm supposed to be dead..." As their surprised exclamations began he suddenly became aware of danger approaching. "Wait!" he called out, and they stopped. "Something comes..." 

The next moment a buzzing sound filled the glade as a swarm of about twenty huge flying insects appeared and attacked them. 

Qui-Gon had his lightsaber ignited and swinging before anyone could move, and they watched in amazement as he quickly dispatched all of the insects, powered down his lightsaber and turned to face them again. 

"Wow," O'Neal said. "Can I see that?" He pointed at Qui-Gon's lightsaber. 

"Certainly." Qui-Gon handed it to him and watched in amusement as O'Neal tried to ignite it. After a few tries he handed it back. 

"How does it work?" 

"It's a Jedi weapon, a lightsaber, " Qui-Gon explained. 'You have to call to it through the Force. Watch..." 

He placed his lightsaber on the ground and stepped away. Reaching out his hand, he called it to him. The lightsaber moved, then flew up towards his hand. Even before he touched it, the blade ignited and he caught it by the hilt and extinguished it again. 

They were all watching him with mouths hanging open in wonder. Hadn't they ever seen someone use the Force? It seemed that no, they hadn't. 

"What's a... Jedi?" Daniel asked. 

"The Jedi is an order of knights, using and following the will of the Force," Qui-Gon said. "We are charged by the Council to keep the peace in the Republic." 

"What Republic?" Carter asked. "Don't you have trouble with the Goa'uld?" 

"I have never heard of the Goa'uld. The Republic spans most of the galaxy..." He trailed off as he remembered that he definitely wasn't in the same galaxy anymore. "Well, my galaxy," he amended with a wry smile. 

"Yeah, well, whatever." O'Neal mumbled. Looking around, he motioned to Carter. 

"Captain, why don't you and Teal'c have a look around. Just watch out for those bugs." "Yes sir." Carter acknowledged and they disappeared into the trees. 

"Now, Mr. Jinn," O'Neal said. "I think you should tell us precisely what's going on here..." 

Qui-Gon sighed. 

"I shall try, but I don't know why I'm here at all." He sat down on the grass next to the stone pedestal. He smiled a bit sadly as Daniel immediately sat down also, ready to listen attentively. He reminded Qui-Gon of a Padawan, ready to hear his master's instructions. 

After an uncomfortable moment, O'Neal sat down too, but kept his hand on an object that Qui-Gon assumed was a weapon. 

"You need have no fear, O'Neal... I sense no danger," Qui-Gon assured him. 

"Thanks, but I prefer to keep this close... I don't see you leaving your lightsword," O'Neal remarked. 

"That is true... what do you wish to know?" 

"For a start, you said you're supposed to be dead?" 

"Yes. I was fighting a Sith Lord and he killed me. I lost consciousness on Naboo, after speaking with my apprentice, and I woke up here... what is this planet's name, do you know?" 

Daniel laughed at that. 

"I'm always saying we should give these places names, but no, we just call it IG3727... sometimes the locals tell us the name." 

"I'm afraid I don't even know why you're here..." Qui-Gon suggested. 

"Oh, we're from..." Daniel began. 

"Daniel." O'Neal stopped him. 

"He can tell me," Qui-Gon said, gesturing slightly. 

"You can tell him, Daniel." O'Neal agreed. Daniel looked surprised, then speculative. 

"I saw you do that," he told Qui-Gon. "How did you do that?" 

Qui-Gon was surprised at Daniel's intuition. The young man was more sensitive to the Force than he'd first thought. 

"It's an old Jedi mind trick," Qui-Gon said. "Look, I mean you no harm. I'm confused and I would just like to know where I am and who you are. You can trust me, I assure you." 

Daniel considered, then nodded. 

"Alright. We're from a planet called Earth. We've been exploring planets using the Stargates for a while now. Our official goal is to find and retrieve technology that we can use to fight the Goa'uld, a parasitic species that enslaves other races as hosts, or destroy them if they can't be enslaved. We also need to find some people that have been taken from us..." 

"Don't you fly between the planets?" Qui-Gon asked. 

"Fly? No, we don't have spacecraft capable of that. We can barely reach the planets in our own solar system. The Stargate and its use is secret." 

"Then..." Qui-Gon stopped. Then he sprang to his feet. "Your friends are in trouble!" 

He was into the trees before O'Neal and Daniel could move. 

O'Neal and Daniel burst through the trees and into another clearing. Teal'c was firing blasts from his staff weapon into the trees on the other side, where several Jaffa could be seen. Qui-Gon stood in front of Teal'c and Carter, deflecting incoming blasts with his lightsaber. 

As Daniel and O'Neal added their covering fire, they retreated and left the clearing, making their way back to the Stargate. Once there, Daniel keyed in the coordinates on the 'dial home device' and the gate opened. 

All five of them ran for the gate. O'Neal stopped suddenly. 

"I don't think you should come along," he said to Qui-Gon. 

"Colonel, this man comes from a galaxy that has interstellar travel!" Daniel exclaimed. "We can't leave him and lose that knowledge!" 

"Oh alright. Come on!" 

Qui-Gon took a deep breath and stepped into the gate... 

* * * 

After an experience that could only be described as the most powerful manifestation of the Force he'd yet witnessed, Qui-Gon stepped onto a metal ramp with the others. 

Looking around he saw that they were in a huge chamber. Windows high up on the opposite side from the Stargate allowed people to look down into the chamber, and heavy doors sealed off all other entrances. 

A voice rang out into the chamber. 

"Welcome back, SG1. Colonel O'Neal, who's your companion?" 

"Well, sir... It's kind of a long story..." O'Neal began. "Very well. Debriefing in thirty minutes." 

Qui-Gon saw O'Neal look for someone to order around. 

"Ah, Daniel. You can take our guest to quarters and make sure he shows up for debriefing." He gave an evil smile as Daniel saw his personal time disappearing fast. "After all, you convinced me to bring him along..." 

Daniel sighed but saw the point. Turning around he motioned for Qui-Gon to follow. 

"You must find all this very strange," he ventured. 

Qui-Gon smiled. 

"Not really, no. This is a typical military installation. I'm used to working in conjunction with military forces." He stopped to watch two men lug a heavy crate into a storeroom. "Don't you use droids?" 

"Droids?" Daniel asked. 

"Intelligent machines used for labor." 

"Oh, robots... Only for specialized tasks... I wouldn't go so far as to call them intelligent." 

"I see." 

At the end of the corridor Daniel opened a door that led into a small room containing bunker beds, a table, chair and several objects unfamiliar to Qui-Gon. 

Daniel smiled apologetically. 

"I know this isn't much..." 

"It's perfectly alright. I thank you," Qui-Gon said. 

"Um, I have to ask you not to leave here until I come get you... which will be in about twenty minutes." 

"Of course." 

Qui-Gon went into the room and took his meditation pose on the floor. Daniel watched for a few seconds, then closed the door quietly and left to go change. 

In his room Qui-Gon reached out with the Force. He sensed immediately that this planet was far removed from the previous one, but still in the same galaxy and time. It was a planet filled with life, billions of people, along with lots of other lifeforms too. 

The place he was in was located underground and contained maybe 800 people, all occupied with some task. Qui-Gon knew he could walk out without anyone seeing him but there was no reason to do so yet, so he waited patiently for Daniel to return. 

Twenty minutes later Daniel knocked on the door, then opened it carefully, to find Qui-Gon sitting in the same position. 

"Qui-Gon?" he asked softly. 

The Jedi's eyes opened and he smiled a welcome. Then he rose to his feet. Daniel was amazed at his grace in doing so, imagining getting up himself after sitting like that for 20 minutes. 

He led Qui-Gon up three levels to a room containing a large table surrounded by several chairs. O'Neal, Carter and Teal'c were there already, as well as a bald man that Qui-Gon identified as the commanding officer, from the aura of authority that clung to him. 

"General Hammond, sir," Daniel started. "May I introduce Qui-Gon Jinn, a Jedi... knight." 

Qui-Gon bowed politely, then sat down as the General motioned him to a chair. Daniel sat down too. 

"Colonel O'Neal," the General said. "What did you find on IG3727? And why did you bring along Mr. Jinn?" 

"Well sir, all we found was Mr. Jinn, here, and some Jaffar that compelled us to leave." He cleared his throat. "You'd better ask Daniel why we brought Mr. Jinn..." 

Daniel looked uncomfortable. Then he resolved something and looked up at the General. 

"Sir, Qui-Gon protected us from attack twice over there. We couldn't leave him to face our attackers alone. Besides, I believe that he can tell us much about the universe and space travel." 

"I see," said the General dryly. "Anything else?" 

"Oh, yeah!" O'Neal burst out. "Qui-Gon, show him your trick with the light... thing!" 

Everyone looked at Qui-Gon, who'd sat quietly composed at the table while they talked about him. He sighed inwardly but rose and repeated his earlier demonstration. The General was astounded, but the others still couldn't believe their eyes, even after having seen it twice. Qui-Gon sat down again. 

"Well, that was interesting!" the General stated. "Very well, Dr. Jackson, it's your job to find out what you can about the universe, space travel and light... things... Mr. Jinn, welcome to Earth. Please don't try to leave this facility without permission. SG1, dismissed." 

Daniel waited for Qui-Gon at the door. 

"Well, it seems we're going to be doing a lot of talking... Hungry? Come on, I'll introduce you to junk food!" 

A few minutes later Qui-Gon found himself in a mess hall, eating what Daniel described as "the worst cheese burger in the universe". Since Qui-Gon was ravenously hungry, it didn't make much difference. 

"Daniel, what does your title mean?" Qui-Gon inquired as they sipped on a warm beverage called "coffee". 

"Title? Oh... it means that I am a... scholar," Daniel explained. 

"What do you study?" 

"Well, I'm an anthropologist, I guess... or an Egyptologist, or maybe even an archeologist..." Daniel realized that his words held no meaning for Qui-Gon. "Um, I study cultures," he summed up. 

At Qui-Gon's look of interest, he elaborated. 

"I used to study ancient cultures here on Earth. But now I get to study cultures on other worlds... Sometimes I don't get much time to do so. The Goa'uld have the habit of showing up and cutting short our trips." 

He drank some coffee. 

"Look, Qui-Gon, if you could tell us anything that would help us fight the Ghouls, I would be very grateful." He swallowed. "They have taken my wife!" He stared into his cup as he tried to bring his feelings back under control. 

Qui-Gon debated with himself whether to calm the man or not. Then he decided that Daniel deserved respect and privacy, and let him be. After a while he could sense that the emotional turmoil had subsided in the young man. 

"Daniel, I will try to help you if I can," he started. "But I'm afraid I'm very far away from my home world and the only discipline I know is that of the Jedi." 

He took his lightsaber and placed it on the table between them. 

"This weapon is the only one I know to construct, and it can only be used efficiently by those trained as Jedi. I can't show you how to build ships; I can't build them myself. I don't think I'll be any use to you at all." 

Daniel groped for something to say to comfort the suddenly despondent Jedi. 

"Don't say that! You can use the Stargate to go back, can't you? And maybe you can take us to your Republic and they can lend us aid..." 

Qui-Gon smiled sadly. 

"No, Daniel, I can't go back. As far as I can tell I'm at least a thousand years to the future of where I was when I died... I don't know how to get there and I doubt it's still the same." 

"How do you know that?" Daniel asked, awed. 

"I can sense the Force is much older than what I'm used to..." Qui-Gon answered. 

"You keep talking about the Force ... what is that?" 

"The Force flows through every living thing. The Jedi has the ability to listen to it and also use it as an ally..." Qui-Gon explained. Daniel listened with rapt attention. "It takes years of training but those strong in the Force can influence minds, manipulate objects and see the future in motion..." 

"You can see the future?" Daniel interrupted. 

"Not I. My master Yoda is most experienced in that. I have always concentrated on the moment... This makes me a bit of a rebel in certain circles," Qui-Gon concluded with a self-deprecating smile. 

"So, let me get this straight," Daniel started. "You belong to an order of lasersword-wielding, mind controlling knights, charged with keeping peace... " Qui-Gon nodded. "So, if something or someone disturbs the peace, a bunch of knights is sent to clear it up?" 

"No, the Council sends only one knight... or, a master and his apprentice, his Padawan learner..." 

"Just one?" Daniel couldn't believe that. 

"That is the way," Qui-Gon said. "Tell me, Daniel, have you really never seen anyone use the Force?" 

"I have never heard of anything like it... except the technology the Goa'uld use." 

"Then I am the last," Qui-Gon stated. "With your leave, I'd like to have some time to meditate now..." 

"Of course! You should get some sleep, anyway. I won't be here tomorrow morning, the General has ordered us back to the planet where we found you... but I'll see you later..." Daniel was leading Qui-Gon back to his room while talking. When they reached the door, he stopped Qui-Gon from entering for a moment. 

"I am honored to have met you, Qui-Gon Jinn. Even if you are the last, I believe that you will have a place with us." 

Qui-Gon smiled. "I thank you, Daniel Jackson. I do not know the path set before me, but if I can aid you, I will do so." With that, he turned and went inside. 

* * * 

SG1 stepped through the gate back to IG3727. On arrival they had their weapons ready, but only the peaceful glade greeted them. Of the Jaffa was no sign. As they made their way towards the place where they'd encountered them before, Daniel hung back. 

"Tell me again why we've come back here?" he asked. 

"General Hammond wants to know what the Goa'uld's interest in this planet is... and where your friend fits in," Carter explained. 

Daniel noticed something in her tone. 

"Don't you trust him?" he asked. 

"Carter shook her head. "I don't know. He seems almost too good to be true... I feel he's not telling us everything he knows." She stopped walking and spoke seriously. "You've spent more time with him... Do you trust him?" 

"Yes... Yes, I do," he answered decisively. "You're right, he's not telling us everything, but I think that is because he knows extraordinarily much...." He started following O'Neal and Teal'c again. 

"From what I can tell, these Jedi were respected and fearsome warriors, and Qui-Gon is certainly a great warrior... but he's also very wise, a teacher... he even had an apprentice..." 

"Do you think he'll teach us that trick of his?" Carter smiled. 

"I'll have to ask him," Daniel replied as they walked into another glade, containing the crumbling walls of an old fortress or castle. One part of the structure was still intact. As they walked closer, the door opened. 

A wizened old man stood in the doorway. Looking them over, he gave an enigmatic smile. Then he spoke with a sibilant whisper. 

"Welcome, travelers. Come, you have nothing to fear." 

Daniel watched in mute astonishment as the others lowered their weapons and entered the structure. The old man noticed his hesitation. 

"Come in, young man. There's nothing to fear here." 

Daniel felt something brush over his consciousness and realized that the man was trying to manipulate him. Rather than making a scene, he pretended to submit, lowered his gun and entered. Once inside, he looked around to find the other three staring vacantly into space. The old man closed the door and faced Daniel. 

"I know you're pretending, but don't think you can do anything to get past me. These..." he gestured towards Daniel's friends, "will kill you on my command. So, now you will tell me where the Jedi is." 

"Who are you?" Daniel asked defiantly. 

"I am Darth Morga," the man replied, "Where is the Jedi?" 

"I can't tell you that," Daniel stated. 

"If you won't tell me, I will get her..." pointing towards Carter, "to shoot him..." As he spoke, Carter took her gun and aimed it at O'Neal. O'Neal did nothing but watch. 

Daniel was at a loss. He could tell this man where Qui-Gon was, but that would lead this obviously evil man right to Earth, where Daniel was sure they didn't want him. On the other hand, O'Neal was about to die. 

For a moment he felt intense anger at Qui-Gon for having put him in that position, and he mentally sent the Jedi a thought: "Qui-Gon, this is surely your problem, why am I saddled with it?" 

* * * 

Qui-Gon was exploring the mountain base, not that anyone saw him. Everywhere he saw that these people, though technologically advanced, were in fact far behind the Republic in technological development. He had just entered a medical lab where a young woman was seated behind a computer terminal, when he felt Daniel's irate call. 

He was so surprised that he forgot to shield his presence from the young woman, who looked in astonishment at the tall stranger that appeared in her lab. Rather than over reacting and calling the guards, she put two and two together and came up with "Daniel's guest". 

"Excuse me, are you Qui-Gon Jinn?" she asked. 

Qui-Gon smiled distractedly. 

"Yes, my lady. I am sorry to intrude..." He trailed off as he sensed some more of Daniel's predicament. 

"That's ok," she said. "I hear you can do some pretty amazing stuff." 

Qui-Gon was only listening to her with half an ear. The rest of him centered on the feeling that he was needed, now, and that he could be there, now, if he just could focus... 

"My focus determines my reality," he muttered. Concentrating like never before in his life, he tried to recapture what he had felt when he was dying, and suddenly he felt himself pick up speed. Then he was gone. 

The young doctor had watched the man close his eyes and take a breath. Then he'd suddenly become shiny, like the surface of the pool in the Stargate, and had vanished. Pretty amazing, indeed. 

* * * 

Carter felt her fingers tighten over the trigger. Her mind screamed helplessly as her body refused to obey. The trigger suppressed. Bullets spat out of the gun's muzzle, slammed into empty air and fell to the ground. Suddenly the coercion of her body ceased as the old man whirled around in surprise. 

Behind him stood Qui-Gon Jinn, lightsaber in hand. 

The team scrambled out of the way as the old man activated a double-bladed light staff and attacked Qui-Gon. 

Qui-Gon countered the attack easily. With his newfound focus he realized that he could not lose, since he was indeed already dead. He was, in fact, the embodiment of the Force, and there was nothing he could not do. But although Qui-Gon was stronger, faster and invincible, he still could not overcome the Sith. 

Then Daniel saw with horror that Qui-Gon extinguished his blade, and waited for the Sith... who did the same. Then they gripped each other's arms. A vortex of energy formed between them, and burst up and through the roof. Stones began to tumble down. 

The team ran for the door and out into the clearing. Turning around, they saw the entire structure explode, with the energy vortex disappearing into the clouds. Then everything was quiet. 

Daniel did not realize he'd fallen to his knees until Carter helped him up. He was shocked silent, as he tried in vain to see through the rubble and smoke. 

"Come on, Daniel," O'Neal said, taking him by the arm. "There's no way anyone could have survived that." 

Daniel turned mutely and followed them back to the Stargate. 

* * * 

Daniel went home and sat and stared at nothing while he tried to deal with what had happened. For some reason he felt as if he'd lost more than a friend, he'd lost an ... opportunity. Something in him told him that there was more to be learned, and that Qui-Gon would have guided him. He felt immense sorrow at losing that. 

"You need not mourn, my friend," a voice interrupted his thoughts. Looking up, he saw Qui-Gon sitting on his sofa! 

"That... That's impossible," stuttered Daniel. 

"No, Daniel... I did not die in the explosion. As I told you, I was already dead, I just did not realize what that meant." 

"Then... what happened?" 

"It's a long story." Qui-Gon smiled. "There was once a prophecy concerning one who would bring balance to the Force. I had assumed that one was a boy I found, before I died." He chuckled. "Now, it seems the prophecy might have been talking about me..." 

"I don't understand," Daniel said softly. 

"When I fought the Sith, I brought the two parts of the Force together, the Light side and the Dark side. The sides are not combined, but are rather in balance, now. The hatred that has fueled this feud between the Jedi and the Sith can now drain away." 

"Then what will you do now?" Daniel asked, a sudden hope in his heart that he might still learn the wonders of the universe. 

"I am now a... free agent, so to speak," Qui-Gon explained. "I can travel the universe at will to keep the Force in balance." 

"Will you not teach me?" Daniel almost pleaded. 

Qui-Gon shook his head. 

"That is not my role, but I will tell you this: Your focus determines your reality. Concentrate on the moment. Feel, don't think. Trust your instinct." He grinned. "The last person I gave that advice to, won a pod-race... you might do even better." 

He stood up and began to fade. 

"Will I see you again?" 

"I might drop in now and then and join you for a cheese burger..." 

He vanished completely until Daniel could only hear the echo of his laughter in his mind. 

The End (for now). 

(c) Slef 1999 

Disclaimer: 

This piece was written entirely for my own entertainment, and that of anyone bothering to read it. I make no money from it and no copyright infringement is intended. 

The characters of Daniel Jackson, Jack O'Neal, Sam Carter, Teal'c and General Hammond, as well as the Stargate, the Goa'uld and the Jaffar belong to MGM and Showtime. 

Qui-Gon Jinn, Obi-Wan Kenobi, Naboo, lightsabers, the Republic, the Jedi and the Sith sprang from the wonderful mind of Mr. George Lucas, and he will forever own them. 

I thought up the name of Darth Morga. The situations and speculations are mine. 

Special thanks to: 

George Lucas, creator of universes, lord of modern myth, the venerable Jedi Master himself, for sharing his vision with us. 

All the guys who bring us Stargate SG1, for making Tuesday evenings bearable. 

Tommy Lee Jones, for being the spark that got me writing again. 

My best friend Clor, for mentioning me in the "special thanks" part of her Star Wars/Quantum Leap crossover, and for being the coolest alien I have had the pleasure to encounter. There will be many more movies, more names to add to "The List" and lots more people to confuse before we get that Oscar! 


End file.
